????靠新游戲繼續輝煌

????由于在百思買（Best Buy）和沃爾瑪（Walmart）這樣的大賣場，Xbox One和《泰坦墜落》游戲（可下載版）綁定后，售價為449.99美元，微軟更有望縮小和PS4的差距。考慮到這款游戲單賣就要60美元，這個捆綁銷售套裝實際上使Xbox One比PS4還便宜。這款科幻史詩巨作被廣大玩家視為微軟少有的幾款“殺手級應用”，對Xbox One的意義將和當年的《光環》（Halo）對Xbox和Xbox 360一樣。

????但不管哪臺游戲機，要想成為超級力作，都需要不止一款游戲支撐。在缺少“必不可少”之作的情況下，索尼和微軟可能都要從第三方游戲開發商那里尋找獨家供應的游戲以激發玩家的熱情。

????《電游月刊》（Electronic Gaming Monthly）的游戲評論家兼自由撰稿人保羅?塞梅爾說：“考慮到上市時略顯慘淡的游戲陣容，這兩臺機器的銷量已經算是佳績了。這也說明游戲機并不像有些人說的那么式微。它們目前的銷量還不算輝煌，假日季才會是真正的考驗，因為那時這兩臺機器都將推出更多獨家游戲。目前我們發現，死忠玩家對這兩臺機器都很熱衷，但他們總歸要在其中選擇一臺。”

????缺乏重磅游戲力作仍是這兩家公司面臨的最大問題，它們要在下一個假日季前的數月中設法防止增長勢頭衰減。

????游戲發行商Phoenix Online Publishing主管兼行業咨詢師斯科特?斯坦伯格說：“這兩款游戲機上市時可玩游戲都不多，讓人沒什么理由非買它們不可，尤其是眼下像《使命召喚》（Call of Duty）這樣的頂級巨作依然能在舊平臺上玩。不過這并不是光靠索尼和微軟就能解決的問題。開發者和發行商還需要熟悉適應它們，與此同時，因為游戲制作代價日益高昂，發行商愿意承擔的風險也越來越小。還有一個問題是，它們都沒有安裝平臺，這也讓開發者和發行商都不愿意馬上為它們效力。”

????這又是個“先有雞還是先有蛋”的問題，但這個問題最終肯定會得到解決。憑借這兩臺最新游戲機，這兩家公司可能都會從小型或獨立游戲開發工作室尋找富有潛力的重磅力作，而不是冒著風險自己投錢開發。

????IDC的沃德說：“這一次獨立游戲開發工作室將更加舉足輕重。微軟靠Mindcraft賺了一大筆，那時它還沒生產Xbox 360呢，而這款游戲就已經讓它名聲大噪了。結果現在，所有公司都想拉攏獨立工作室。產品銷售看漲時，要和小型或獨立工作室密切合作并獲得獨家游戲就會容易得多。這樣一來，這類公司會獲得更多轟動性的力作，也會得到媒體更大的關注。這一切并不能讓它們多賣幾臺游戲機，但會讓它們的設備稍微顯得與眾不同。”

????顯然，索尼和微軟都要設法讓自己的新款游戲機贏得眾多關注，這一部分是通過延長產品生命周期、同時創造對新機器的潛在需求來實現的。

????斯坦伯格說：“它們策略的高明之處在于，造足了輿論，也讓玩家有充分理由想買一臺。”現在它們要做的是，想法設法維持銷售看漲的勢頭。（財富中文網）

????譯者：清遠

????A turn to titles

????Microsoft could also look to close the gap as bundles of the Xbox One with the aforementioned Titanfall (as a downloadable version) have been offered by big-box retailers such as Best Buy and Walmart for $449.99. Given that the game itself retails for nearly $60, the bundle actually made the Xbox One cheaper than the PS4. The sci-fi epic is seen as one of the few true "killer apps" for Microsoft's system and could do for it what the Halo franchise had done for the original Xbox and the Xbox 360.

????But it will take more than a single title to make either of the next-generation systems a mega-hit. Lacking a "must-have" game, Sony and Microsoft may look at exclusive offerings from third-party game developers to spur interest.

????"Given the somewhat anemic launch lineup, the systems have done have really well. This is a sign that console gaming isn't as dead as people said it is," said Paul Semel, a videogame reviewer and freelance editor for Electronic Gaming Monthly. "It is still a ways off, but this coming holiday season will be the real test, as that is when there are more exclusive titles for each system. Right now what we've seen is that the hardcore gamers have gotten really excited about these systems, but they were going to buy one or the other anyway."

????A lack of notable games is still the biggest problem that both companies will need to resist losing momentum in the many months before the next holiday season.

????"These systems did not arrive with massive software lineups, which does limit the reason to opt for a new system, especially when the biggest games like Call of Duty are on the old systems," said Scott Steinberg, head of Phoenix Online Publishing and industry consultant. "But this isn't just something you can lay at the feet of Sony and Microsoft. Developers and publishers need to get up to speed, but at the same time publishers are taking fewer and fewer risks especially as games cost an arm and a leg to make. There is the added problem too that these new systems don't have the install base, so there is less incentive for the developers and publishers to want to be there right away."

????It's a "chicken or egg" issue that will undoubtedly be resolved. With the latest consoles, both companies may look to smaller or independent game studios to find potential hits without the risk or expense of developing them elsewhere.

????"The indie game development studios could make a big difference this time," said IDC's Ward. "Microsoft did big business with Mindcraft, and while it didn't make or break the Xbox 360, it got a lot of buzz. As a result, everyone is trying to court the indies right now. It is much easier to tie up a micro-studio or small indie studio on the way up and get serious exclusives. That is where the companies can get more bang and get a lot of press as a result. They won't sell a lot of hardware from it, but it gives a little more differentiation on the hardware front."

????Sony and Microsoft have certainly managed to create a lot of buzz around their new videogame consoles, partly by lengthening the life cycle of the product and creating pent-up demand for something new.

????"What they've done right is to make a lot of noise and establish a reason with gamers for wanting to purchase the systems," Steinberg said. Now all the companies have to do is figure out a way to maintain the momentum.